JUST IN: U.S. Confirms Buruji Kashamu’s Death with DNA Evidence, Ends 31-Year Drug Case

The United States government has officially closed its long-standing narcotics case against Nigerian politician Buruji Kashamu, five years after his death from COVID-19 in 2020. The case, which spanned over three decades, was formally dismissed on April 18 by Judge Jorge Alonso of the U.S. District Court in Illinois, following DNA confirmation of Kashamu’s death.

Legal documents reviewed by Peoples Gazette confirmed that the U.S. Department of Justice withdrew the charges after verifying the former senator’s identity through posthumous DNA evidence. Kashamu, who was once accused of running an international drug trafficking ring, had consistently denied involvement, claiming mistaken identity and accusing U.S. authorities of racial bias. He argued that it was his brother who had been wrongly linked to the crime.

The U.S. first indicted Kashamu in 1994, alleging he led a syndicate that used Americans to transport narcotics. He was later arrested in the UK, where U.S. officials sought extradition. However, a British court dismissed the extradition request, siding with Kashamu’s defense that the prosecution lacked evidence identifying him as the suspect.

After returning to Nigeria in 2009, Kashamu entered politics and was elected senator for Ogun East in 2015 under the Peoples Democratic Party. That same year, U.S. authorities made another failed attempt to extradite him. A standoff ensued at his Lagos residence, with Nigerian drug enforcement agents surrounding his home for days until a court ordered them to stand down.

Despite ongoing pressure, Kashamu never traveled to the U.S. or UK again and remained in Nigeria until his death. His life and legal battles inspired the popular Netflix series Orange Is the New Black.

With the recent dismissal, one of the most high-profile and enduring drug cases involving a Nigerian figure has officially ended. It remains unclear whether the U.S. government will pursue any of Kashamu’s assets, including his investments in real estate and hospitality, such as the Best Western Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.